


Superhuman

by wontaeks (orphan_account)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-23
Updated: 2013-02-23
Packaged: 2017-12-03 08:06:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/696102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/wontaeks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I want to be Zitao," ZT-5 says aloud.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Superhuman

 

          ZT-5 knows that he is a robot. He was born in a laboratory at the hands of scientist, late one night in a spur of engineering genius, some two or three years ago. He knows that he was not the first robot created in this lab, and he knows that the other robot was not perfect. But ZT-5… ZT-5 was designed to be flawless, with real skin and an electric heart, astonishing intelligence, incredible strength, and superior longevity; the perfect humanoid machine, a superhuman android. Perfection to the point where it would be impossible to tell ZT-5 from an actual human. ZT-5 didn't know his purpose, though. Was it to be a companion? Or to fight wars? It was a mystery.  
          But more than wanting to know what he was being created for, ZT-5 itched to stand up from his rolling metal table in the laboratory and walk around, looking at all the strange equipment that was probably related to him on some mechanical level, touching all the surfaces with his prosthetic fingers.  
          Sometimes ZT-5 would listen to the two scientists who worked on him and the other model discuss things around their planning table. They whispered almost too low for ZT-5's hearing to pick up over in the robotics room, and ZT-5 would only catch snippets of things; a "tweak the central nervous system" or a "motions are too involuntary". ZT-5 didn't understand what they meant until his system was updated, and suddenly he realized that he was nowhere near the perfection the scientists dreamed of. Something inside ZT-5's electric heart pulled, and ZT-5 began to wonder if he was going to be programmed to have real human emotions other than happiness and sadness, the basic two he's been programmed with.  
          ZT-5 thinks a lot about emotions, now. Luckily his programming allows for actions such as voluntary thought, and ZT-5 assumes he should be grateful, as he "thinks" quite often. He thinks about the scientists researching and creating in the lab, and about the failed android that lies just one table over in the robotics room, and about what kind of life humans outside the lab facility might lead. He stares blankly at the lab's ceiling as he always does, the pattern of the lights already memorized, lying flat and immobile on his back. Today, his scientist Dr. Kim Jongdae is working on ZT-5's motions. Dr. Jongdae carefully detaches ZT-5's left arm from its socket with a sort of loving gentleness, and sets it on a small rolling metal table next to an array of tools. Dr. Jongdae pushes up his glasses and turns on the light above ZT-5's body. He selects an instrument, and bends low to fiddle with the wires in ZT-5's shoulder.  
          "ZT-5," Dr. Jongdae says, "do you have any system errors? Bugs?" Dr. Jongdae yelps and recoils from an electric shock, but goes right back to working.  
          "No sir," ZT-5 says after scanning his system. He notices the electronic grit to his own voice, and makes a note to practice sounding more human when Dr. Jongdae is away.  
          "Excellent," Dr. Jongdae murmurs. He grabs a pair of wire cutters and clips a wire. "We're installing the Mandarin language pack today, after I finish repairing joints."  
          ZT-5 knows that when Dr. Jongdae says "we", he's referring to himself and the other scientist, Dr. Kim Minseok. Dr. Minseok has a kinder face than Dr. Jongdae, ZT-5 recalls. Dr. Minseok works on room over from Dr. Jongdae's robotics room, and he works on genetic engineering—cloning, human organ growing, stem cell research, and so forth. ZT-5 heard once that there's two adult test-subjects over there in the genetics room whose organs are routinely harvested, then regrown in the days following. Sometimes ZT-5 can hear Dr. Minseok shouting profanities after another failed cloning attempt, and ZT-5 decides there must be something wrong with the ethics of genetic engineering—his database tells him that humans are generally very concerned about ethics. ZT-5 makes the decision to be concerned about ethics too, once he gets programmed to feel concern.  
          "Doctor," ZT-5 says as Dr. Jongdae solders together some wires in his shoulder. "What are the ethics of robotics?"  
          Dr. Jongdae whistles and turns back to retrieve ZT-5's arm, plugging it back into its socket with a click. "That's a loaded question. Where'd you learn about ethics? Has Minseok been in here ranting about the media or something?" Dr. Jongdae rotates ZT-5's joint, and reaches for a screwdriver to tighten the bolts on the titanium cuffs lining ZT-5's arm socket. Anywhere that has to rotate on ZT-5's body is cuffed with shining titanium, and in between is skin—real synthetic human skin! This makes ZT-5 happy, and he assumes this should also please him.  
          "My database told me that humans find ethics concerning," ZT-5 says coldly. Dr. Jongdae wheels his rolling table around to ZT-5's other arm, pushing apart ZT-5's table and the other robot, KR-6's, table. KR-6 is always turned off nowadays, because Dr. Jongdae is angry that KR-6 is so imperfect; ZT-5 knows this because Dr. Jongdae sometimes mutters curses when he passes by KR-6's body.  
          Dr. Jongdae sighs. "Society thinks robots are frightening, especially when they're humanistic. Many think that there's already enough humans as it is, so why would we need human machines, too? And there's also the innate fear that humanoids would take over, and you know… wrest power over the world from human hands. But that's not the case." Dr. Jongdae detaches ZT-5's right arm and repeats the steps done on the left. "Humanoids like you would only take over if people hand them the power. So we have to be careful about what we give to humanistic robots, and not unknowingly give them the tools to overthrow humans." Sparks from the wires are reflected in Jongdae's glasses, and ZT-5 blinks. "Engineers like myself create robots in the human image to expand aspects of ourselves. But seeing those things reflected is what makes other people fear. I think it's incredible, though. I mean, I created you, this amazing piece of technology. And I'm talking to you, and you can talk back!  
          "Robots are beautiful. Especially humanoids like you." Dr. Jongdae clicks ZT-5's right arm back into place. "Arms up," Jongdae says, and ZT-5 raises his arms straight up into the air, the whir of his joints faint. Dr. Jongdae watches with a critical eye, looking for any blips or jerks. "Good. Now flex fingers." ZT-5 clenches his hands into fists, but his left pinky doesn't budge from its extended position. Jongdae sighs. ZT-5 automatically gives his hand to the scientist, and Dr. Jongdae reaches behind himself to grab a long, thin syringe, which he slips into the first knuckle of ZT-5's pinky finger. He presses down on the plunger and injects the joint with a small amount of oil. "Now try," Jongdae says, letting go of ZT-5's hand.  
          ZT-5 closes his entire hand into a fist, and the corner of his mouth twitches in a fleeting smile. ZT-5 puts his arm at his side again, and allows Dr. Jongdae to check up on all his other joints; knees, ankles, toes, hips, elbows, neck and jaw. Dr. Jongdae hums merrily while he works, and ZT-5 decides that the scientist has a lovely voice. It seems that the rest of the check-up goes quickly to ZT-5, and soon Dr. Jongdae asks him to sit on the edge of the metal table and lean forward. ZT-5 feels a pang of happiness. It's time to install the new language pack! Jongdae calls Dr. Minseok in, and he comes shuffling, hair a mess and lab coat askew, nervously rubbing his hands on the front of his lab coat. ZT-5 can see he's trying to wipe off the blood on his hands. ZT-5's electronic heart misses a blip when he realizes it's probably a test subject's blood.  
          "Wash your hands before you touch my android," Dr. Jongdae comments quietly, reaching for a screwdriver.  
          "Sorry," Dr. Minseok mutters, and scuttles out of the room to wash his hands.  
          When Minseok returns with clean hands, Dr. Jongdae beckons him over to help unscrew the metal cover on ZT-5's back that hides all his ports and controls and card slots and an array of repurposed keyboard keys. While Minseok fiddles with the controls in ZT-5's back, Jongdae pries open his laptop and begins quickly typing, placing the computer on the table next to ZT-5. ZT-5 stares at the floor, lurching forward a bit when Minseok plugs something into one of his ports.  
          "Okay," Dr. Jongdae says, "I'm going to send the data now." His fingers are still flying over the keyboard.  
          Minseok gives a curt nod. "We're ready." ZT-5 feels keys being pressed and held on his back, and suddenly there's a huge influx of new information, Chinese characters flickering in from of his eyes and foreign sounds filling his ears. Dr. Jongdae still types away on his laptop, and the flow of files stops when he does.  
          "Now system reboot," Dr. Jongdae chirps, and Minseok enters a sequence of key presses. The world goes black for ZT-5.  
          When his system turns back on, ZT-5 can see that the scientists have the other robot turned partially on its side as they unscrew his back panel and start him up. KR-6's eyes slide open as Dr. Jongdae replaces the cover. ZT-5 straightens, fascinated to the best of his ability. He can't remember the last time he's seen KR-6 turned on; or maybe he never has.  
          KR-6 is gigantic, ZT-5 collects as the other humanoid jerkily pushes himself into a sitting position, swinging his legs over the table's edge. His hands are long and thin, and his legs seem to go on for miles. ZT-5 watches as KR-6's fingers grip the table. "Doctor," KR-6 says as Dr. Jongdae walks around the edge of the table to grab a stool and pull up to the two androids, laptop in hand and ready to make observations. KR-6's voice is deep and wheezing, the electronic tone to his voice only slightly more evident than ZT-5's. "How long have I been off?"  
          Dr. Jongdae shrugs, and waves at Minseok as he ducks out the door and hurries back to his own laboratory. "I don't really remember."  
          KR-6's eyes are sleepy as he nods, and ZT-5 wonders if the KR-6 model is more capable of emotions than himself.  
          "So, KR-6," Dr. Jongdae says, "My new model just had the Mandarin language pack installed, and since neither Minseok nor I speak Mandarin, we need you to test it.  
          KR-6 folds his long hands in his lap. "Yes." KR-6 blinks and his body stutters, and ZT-5 can tell he's switched languages. ZT-5 does the same, switching smoothly without as much as a blink. "Hello," KR-6 says.  
          ZT-5 doesn't even notice the change in language. "Hello," he replies.  
          "What's your name?" KR-6 asks.  
          ZT-5 finds the question strange. He doesn't have a name; he's model ZT-5. ZT-5 assumes that's what KR-6 wants to know. "ZT-5," he says.  
          "Zitao," KR-6 repeats back.  
          "No," ZT-5 protests.  
          "I'm Kris," KR-6 cuts ZT-5 off, and ZT-5 is taken aback. He can see now why Dr. Jongdae became frustrated with this model.  
          "I thought you were model KR-6," ZT-5 says, gnashing his teeth.  
          "I am," KR-6 slurs, looking at his hands. "But I like Kris better. Kris is human."  
          ZT-5 falls silent, and Dr. Jongdae looks at the both of them expectantly. ZT-5 opens then shuts his mouth, unable to forms words. Kris is human; KR-6 is not. It's then that ZT-5 realizes KR-6's main imperfection.  
          He desires to be human.  
          "Do you not like the name Zitao?" KR-6 ventures, fidgeting with his fingers.  
          "No," ZT-5 says slowly. "I like it."  
           As a humanoid android, ZT-5 knows that there is one trait that is probably the most damaging thing a humanoid could develop. Once a humanoid begins to desire to be a human, then they begin to lose their purpose. Robots like himself and KR-6 are computers; that is their purpose, they are meant to act like humans but operate like machines, without attachment or want for unnecessary worldly items or useless activities labeled as "fun". ZT-5 wants to be like a human, no doubt, because that is what Dr. Jongdae has iterated as perfection—but he doesn't want to be a human. That, ZT-5 concludes, is where he and KR-6 differ. ZT-5 looks on with disgust as KR-6 swings his legs in the air like a child. ZT-5 can tell he already dislikes KR-6.  
          "Then I'll call you Zitao," KR-6 announces.  
          ZT-5 would have expected KR-6 to smile like a human at that point, but KR-6 only stares sadly forward. ZT-5 feels something akin to loneliness in his chest.  
          "So," KR-6 goes on, "How long has Doctor been working on you?"  
          ZT-5 shrugs, his eyes wandering. "I don't know. Maybe a year or two."  
          "Doctor worked on me for three years before he shut me down, but I don't know how long it's been since then." KR-6 bit down on his lower lip. It's quiet for a moment, save for Dr. Jongdae's typing. "You're very pretty," KR-6 says after a long moment. "Doctor did a good job on you."  
          ZT-5 is not sure if he should be offended or pleased by the compliment. "He didn't do too badly on you, either," ZT-5 murmurs.  
          "You think so?" KR-6 muses.  
          "We can't think, KR-6," ZT-5 says flatly.  
          KR-6 recoils and ZT-5 hopes he hasn't hurt the other model. "I know." KR-6's deep voice is cold, and it makes ZT-5 electric heart falter.  
          "Okay," Dr. Jongdae says, interrupting. "Now it sounds like you're fighting, so… let's be done for today." Both KR-6 and ZT-5 switch back to Korean for Dr. Jongdae, and Dr. Jongdae glances at his calculator watch. His eyes widen and he bolts upright, slamming his laptop shut. "Shit," he cusses, snatching his keys off a countertop and heading for the door. "There's a financial board meeting at the university, so just… stay put, you two. Don't fight. I'll be back in a bit."  
          ZT-5 and KR-6 watch as Dr. Kim Jongdae races out the door, dumping his laptop on the planning table in the middle of the laboratory's main room and slamming the door on his way out. ZT-5 and KR-6 remain silent for a moment before Dr. Minseok pokes his head in the robotics room after hearing the commotion.  
          "Where's he headed?" Dr. Minseok asks, leaning on the doorframe, probe and petri dish in his blue latex-gloved hands. The blood is still smeared on his crooked lab smock.  
          "Board meeting," ZT-5 says.  
          "Ah," Minseok says, nodding and smiling. His eyes light on KR-6. "It's good to see you up, Kris," Dr. Minseok acknowledges KR-6 with a grin, and ducks out as KR-6 gives a small wave in return.  
          "Why does Dr. Minseok call you Kris?" ZT-5 demands after Minseok is gone.  
          Twitchingly, KR-6 gets down from his table and walks over to the wall of windows looking out into the laboratory's main room. ZT-5 stares in disbelief at KR-6's ability to walk across the room; ZT-5's walking program is password locked! "I probably told him I prefer to have a real name as opposed to being called KR-6 at some point." KR-6 looks at his reflection in the glass, fussing with his short black Mohawk and adjusting the waistband of his white cotton drawstring shorts. There's a sort of edited humanness in his motions as KR-6—no, Kris, ZT-5 decides, Kris is more befitting—fixes his appearance. ZT-5 can see half his reflection in the window, blocked by Kris's left elbow, and his hair is wild. ZT-5 doesn't recall ever having touched his own hair, and slowly, he reaches up to touch the short tuft of midnight hair on his temple. It feels silky and pleasant, but ZT-5 lets his hand drop into his lap again. ZT-5 continues to stare at Kris. Kris turns right, then left, and something dark on Kris's arm catches ZT-5's attention.  
          "Is that a tattoo?" ZT-5 blurts, and Kris turns around.  
          Kris nods, looking at his left upper arm and the twisting black tribal scorpion there. "Doctor wanted me to have a cool appearance," Kris sighs, gazing at the mark with a slight smile.  
          ZT-5 looks Kris up and down with critical eyes. There's yet another long, awkward silence before they hear a muffled crash, indiscernible shouts, and much quieter nonsensical whimpering. ZT-5 and Kris exchange a long, worried glance. The sounds are coming from Dr. Minseok's genetics lab, and the humanoids jump in surprise when Dr. Minseok yelps and there's a sound similar to that of water being splashed.  
          "Kris?" Dr. Minseok calls, running out from his lab, up to his elbows in red, red blood, the LED medical headlight on his head shining on Kris and ZT-5. "I need your help," Minseok finishes, and Kris nods, pulling open the door to the robotics room and moving to leave.  
          ZT-5's jaw falls open. "We're not supposed to leave here!" He calls after.  
          Kris ignores him, and ZT-5 would be tempted to chase after him, but his programming won't allow him to. If he were to get off his table, the most he could do would be to collapse on the floor. ZT-5 feels his system begin to overheat as he tries to hurriedly come up with a way to troubleshoot the problem of KR-6 the human robot. Frantically, ZT-5 scoots to the very edge of his table, the farthest he can go, and tries to get a better glimpse of the laboratory's main room, or maybe a reflection of what's happening in the genetics room. He can't see anything. His shoulders quaver, and his system warns him of its rising temperature. ZT-5 gives up, and maneuvers to lay down again, staring up at the familiar and comforting lights. He shuts his eyes.  
          "What can I do?" ZT-5 hears Kris ask on the other side of the wall.  
          There's the sound of glass vials clanking together and the whoosh of a rolling table being moved across the floor. "Test subject Luhan began having a seizure during a regenerative cell transplant and scalpel slipped. Don't mind the blood loss, I just need you to hold him down so I can finish the transplant." ZT-5 notices the grim tone to Dr. Minseok's voice, and the word "ethics" rears into ZT-5's attention again.  
          Metal clatters against metal and ZT-5 thinks Kris has the human test subject pinned down now. The subject Luhan cries out, a loud, mewling sound, and ZT-5 covers his ears. How cruel… how cruel, he repeats to himself.  
          ZT-5 can't stop focusing on Kris's actions, though. How can a robot so easily go against his programming? Does KR-6 have no respect for the hard work or his creator, Dr. Kim Jongdae? ZT-5 doesn't let his hands off his ears. Kris is much more human than he will ever be. Kris, without a second consultation with his system programming, immediately rushed to help where help was needed. ZT-5 thought his purpose is to help others, too, but Kris… Kris doesn't have the same automatous limitations that ZT-5 has. He could help without having to analyze everything first. ZT-5 shudders. What wouldn't he give to behave like that!  
          His hands fly off his ears as he comes to a sudden realization. He stares at the ceiling, slack-jawed. ZT-5 doesn't dislike the KR-6 model. He's jealous.  
          "Hold him, hold him!" Comes through the wall in Minseok's strained voice, but ZT-5 ignores it. More crashing and whimpering comes from the other room.  
          "I want to be Zitao," ZT-5 says aloud.

 


End file.
